"The Fault In Our Stars" Review

"Neither novels nor their readers benefit from attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea that made-up stories can matter, which is sort of the foundational assumption of our species." John Green begins the novel "The Fault In Our Stars" with this author's note, and while his statement serves to preempt any claims of the novel's medical inaccuracies, it applies for the film.

If you lay out a synopsis of "The Fault In Our Stars", some sections stretch the elastic band of disbelief. But, as Green puts it, this is fantasy, and its strength comes from what it represents. By this measure, "The Fault In Our Stars" is a charming, intelligent work that makes the claim that all lives are immeasurably valuable, regardless of circumstance. And it does it all through the lens of a star-crossed love story.

Indianapolis is home to seventeen-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster, (Shailene Woodley), whose cancer has a way of making her lungs "suck at being lungs". Cancer not only takes over a person's body, but identity; Hazel struggles to find some bit of life that's not prescribed, and in a support group, she finds it in fellow fighter Augustus Waters (Ansel Egort). Augustus is a dreamer: a man of unlit cigarettes, metaphors, and a thirst for legacy. When matched with realist Hazel, the two hit it off, sharing text messages, books, and international travel, slowly falling in love.

In the same vein as the novel, their relationship builds slowly. Gus's lines, which would usually melt any girl, finds a diminished return on Hazel, whose wit hilariously throws Gus off his game. The movie isn't frigid about their love, however; these characters aren't opposites thrown together in a 'what if?' scenario, bickering until they find a common thread. This develops naturally through each first: call, date, kiss, etc.

Woodley and Egort are ugly criers. They snivel, scream, and snot up. Woodley's face turns forty different shades of red, while Egort juts his lip out, uttering unintelligible curses while bellowing like a baby whale. In other words, they're perfect. Their chemistry is electric; Egort charms, Woodley blushes, they argue, joke, and weep. It's almost impossible not to believe they're actually in love.

As far as adaptation goes, fans of the novel will find a myriad of little touches: scenery, actors' body language, props. The one shortcoming is common with all adaptations: the use of time. I read the novel in two days, saw the movie in two hours. The film sticks closer to plot while the book takes its time, strengthening the relationship. The novel lets Hazel and Gus do things; the movie has things happen to Hazel and Gus, giving them less of an active role. This change of pace isn't inherently bad, but simply a consequence of the medium.

"The Fault In Our Stars" takes its characters as they are: pretentious, naive, intelligent, broken. It doesn't change them, but rather shows the peak of their lives. There is beauty, joy, glory in everyone; it doesn't matter what your race, gender, class, health or financial standing is. Everyone can find love and purpose in their lives, regardless of what society can see on the surface. It's a beautiful film with loving characters making the best of their little infinity.

Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.

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